A Night Inside South Florida’s Gang Wars

[SecularMotion]

MIAMI (CBS4) — Spend a night with the Miami-Dade Police Department’s Gang Unit, and its commander, Lt. Luis Almaguer, and you will be forever on the move.

------snip-------


During this traffic stop, police find a handgun and some powder cocaine inside the car. Almaguer says the gangs have learned how to structure their crews so that at least one of them can be legally armed.

One member of a crew will have a concealed weapons permit, allowing them to be armed.

In Florida, anyone can get a gun permit as long as they have not been convicted of a crime. In some cases, Almaguer claimed, individuals may have multiple of arrests, but they get to keep their gun permit until they have an actual conviction.

http://miami.cbslocal.com/2012/05/07/a-night-inside-south-floridas-gang-wars/

[DanTex]

1. And yet the NRA crowd will insist that concealed carry laws don't result in more armed criminals.

This article shows how concealed carry laws don't just lead to tragic deaths due to wannabe gun heros. It also makes it more difficult for the police to crack down on gang violence, because even people who don't qualify for a CC license can arrange to travel with someone who does.

“And there is nothing you can do about it because [the guy with the gun] has no convictions,” Almaguer said. “They’ve figured out the system and still have a firearm on them.”

Isn't it odd how many gun nuts will insist that microstamping is useless because criminals will just file down the stamped firing pin (which, of course would be illegal, and so anyone caught with a tampered-with gun could be arrested), but on the other hand they could never fathom the idea that criminals would have one "designated gun holder" who qualifies for a concealed carry license.

[ManiacJoe]

3. If you don't like the current due process, work to change the law.

A "designated gun holder" is not a new concept. Under current laws, given enough time, he will be convicted of something and lose the CC license/permit.

[ileus]

7. How do you order a new firing pin?

[MicaelS]

8. You don't have to file down the firing pin or striker

All you have to do is buy a spare and change them out. Under $10 for a new one for some guns.

http://www.brownells.com/.aspx/cid=10677/s_o=Price+%28Ascending%29/Products/Firing-Pins

Hell you can make one, if you have the machine tools and are knowledgeable.

But why go through all that? All that will happen is that criminals will switch to revolvers.

[DanTex]

9. Some will switch to revolvers, others will switch out the pins.

But a lot of them will do neither.

[gejohnston]

10. given that

the average crime gun is ten to fourteen years old, and the casing collection did nothing, I doubt it matters. I think you meant will do neither.

[DanTex]

11. Well, you have to start somewhere.

Thanks for the grammar fix.

[sarisataka]

2. Ok gotta ask

Why did you break your pattern of posting the first four paragraphs of the story this time?

[Nuclear Unicorn]

4. I don't think CC permits make it legal to carry guns with drugs.

[ManiacJoe]

6. That is why the two objects are carried by two different people.

[Marinedem]

5. Hmmmmmm...

So because some scumbags are following the law while being scumbags, it should nullify the right of law abiding citizens such as myself to be armed against such scumbags who will carry either way. Brilliant.

[spin]

12. Welcome to DU. You make a valid point ...

I was considering posting a similar reply but you beat me to it.